The Rural Voice, 1990-11, Page 60RAINY RIVER
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
Box 416, Emo, Ontario POW 1E0
807-482-2051
' The Rural Voice is provided to Rainy River
Federation members by the RRFA.
The directors of the Rainy River Federation of
Agriculture met in the boardroom of the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food office in Emo on
Thursday, October 4 at 7:30 p.m.
The diredors present were: Wayne Flatt,
Dennis Brunn, Gary Esselink, Gertie Bujold,
Linda Armstrong, Kim Hunsperger, Kristine Car-
penter, Jacquelyn Hunsperger, and Shirley Mor-
rish.
It was decided to table the Blueprint for Beef
until after the annual meeting. The Ag Awareness
group reported on the booth they had in the
Farmer's Market and the brochures and "question
board" that were enjoyed by those who attended.
They also reminded us that the radio station had
questions each morning and aprize for the correct
answer.
The dairy princess will be here October 22 to
23 and will visit grade two classes. The target for
1991 is to do grade 3.
The Northern Policy report was that there are
monies lett for education and energy-efficient
water bowls. The rest of the monies have been
dispersed.
The membership committee reported some
cancellations and the directors are to make an
effort to contact the former members.
The milk committee reported that a new sign
for the highway is coming and they hope that it will
be easier to read and thus more noticeable.
The dairy princess is coming and the milk
producers will be having supper with her on the
evening of October 22 at the Emo Inn.
It was moved by Kim Hunsperger and sec-
onded by Dennis Brunn that we pay for half of the
4-H halters and that Linda Armstrong make pres-
entations at the 4-H banquet in November.
The Sixteenth Annual Meeting Dinner and
Dance of the Rainy River Federation of Agricul-
ture was held on the ice surface of the Barwick
Hall on Saturday, October 13, 1990 at 7:30 p.m.
Gertie Bujold said Grace and we were served
a very delicious meal by the ladies of the Barwick
Recreation Society. Thank you to the ladies. I
really enjoyed the dinner.
President Linda Armstrong welcomed every-
one and introduced the head table guests secre-
tary Gertie and Buck Bujold, Stanley Armstrong,
OFA first vice president Roger George, provincial
director Pieter and Hennie Van Ballegooie, and
treasurer Kim Hunsperger.
Don McCulloch moved the minutes of the last
Annual Meeting be adopted as circulated, sec-
onded by George Hyatt.
The treasurer's report and auditor's report
were duly moved and seconded.
Provincial director Pieter Van Ballegooie
spoke for a few minutes on some of the changes
coming to government and the Farm Tax Rebate
Program. He thanked us for the invitation to come
and expressed his willingness to serve another
56 THE RURAL VOICE
year as our provincial director.
Kristine Carpenter introduced Roger
George, the first vice president of the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture, as our guest speaker.
Roger told us of the anticipation that the provin-
cial board has in meeting with the new govern-
ment in Toronto. The board feels excited about
the new thrust in government policies. He con-
gratulated the NDP on their election.
He spoke of how the Ministry of Agriculture
and Food is one of the most complex ministries in
government today. He asked us to realize that
the environment is one of the most touchy issues
of the day. Pesticides are calling for tougher
guidelines and we must step very carefully and
not panic the consumer at large.
Under the free trade package we must edu-
cate the public to the regulations that we must
follow with produce and the kind of chemicals we
are permitted and banned from using. Some of
the imported foods are produced using chemi-
cals banned in Canada. Canadians have one of
the safest home-grown food supplies in the
world. Our health and safety codes are among
the strictest in the world.
The Stable Funding Proposal is an attempt to
get all farmers on the same side. Programs that
are lobbied for and put into place are for all
farmers. Our lobbyists are necessary. They are
expensive but our case must be put forward.
Agriculture is big business and Free Trade opens
the door to imported goods not known before.
Roger explained that a farmer should regis-
ter for the GST as we could be giving the federal
government $2,100 if we have gross of $30,000
in costs.
Kim Hunsperger thanked Roger for coming
and presented him with a token of our thanks.
During the course of the evening several
door prizes were won: Kaemingh Esso, anti-
freeze, Bev Hyatt; Seven Bends Honey Farm, 5
lbs. of honey, Eva Angus; Farm Safety Associa-
tion, Caution Go Slow sign, Tony Weir; Emo
Feed Service, autonote, Helen Crans; Norlunds,
Michelin Man towel, Gordon Cornell; D&M Build-
ing components, Cap, Gary Advent; Willow -Mor
Farms, pumpkin, Allan Teeple; Vanden Brand
Equipment, work gloves, Don McCulloch; Kae-
mingh Esso, grease gun, Edith Irvine; Rainy
River Preserves Company, gift box of Jambrosia,
Larry Lamb; Marmus Shell, chain saw oil, Greg
Stahn; Farm Safety Association, hard hat, Adri-
enne McCulloch; D&M Building components,
cap, Loretta LeBlanc; Badiuk Equipment, snow-
mobile mitts, Don Sutton; Norlunds, Michelin
Man towel, Bill Irvine; Willow -Mor Farms, pump-
kin, Howie Hampton; Marmus Sell, chain saw oil,
Elvina Teeple; Kaemingh Esso, case of grease,
Fred Angus; Farm Safety Association, Caution
Go Slow sign, Roger George.
We expressed our appreciation to the do-
nors of the door prizes and congratulate the
winners.
An important bit of business for the meeting
was an amendment to our constitution. Under the
Section: Executive: Part 6: Lot V (V) I the chair-
man for the Election of Officers is unable to
procure a nomination for a specific zone, he/she
may entertain nominations for candidates at large
to till the vacancy ie: after all zones have been
voted on.
This amendment was moved by Don
McCulloch and seconded by Ed Fisher. The
motion Carried.
Roger George acted as election chairman,
nominating committee member Kristine Carpen-
ter assisted.
President: Linda Armstrong was acclaimed.
Secretary: Gertie Bujold by acclamation.
Treasurer: Kim Hunsperger by acclamation.
Zone IV 01f Lake Road - East
Shirley Morrish has one year remaining and
Gary Esselink by acclamation.
Zone III Barwick Line to Oft Lake Road
Mark Husser had one year remaining and
Wayne Flail by acclamation.
Zone II Worthington - Dilke to the Morley Barwick
Line
Dennis Brunn had one year remaining and
Sue Boersma by acclamation.
Zone I Worthington Dilke West
Archie Wiersema has one year remaining.
Peggy Mason was elected by acclamation as
director at large to fill the vacancy in Zone 1, for a
two-year term.
Delegates to the OFA convention in Toronto
on November 26-27.28 to be held in the Constel-
lation Hotel were eleded. Linda Armstrong and
Jacquelyn Hunsperger are the delegates with
alternates Pat Fisher, Ken McKinnon, and Shirley
Morrish. Pieter Van Ballegooie was acclaimed as
provincial director for the Northwestern Region.
Linda Armstrong announced a farm safety
forum for November 7-8 and the Pre -Retirement
Seminar for the 23-24. The Pre -Retirement
Seminar will be held in the Ouetico Centre and we
need ten couples to make it fly. Leave your name
with the agricultural office if you would like to
attend. The cost is $200 per couple and includes
all supplies, meals, and accommodations.
It is a very mushy type of snow that is coming
down this morning. You know the kind you get a
lot of in southern Ontario that the wind tries to
push through you. I think the weather is trying to
tell us something. I am keeping my fingers
crossed hoping the snow will just keep on melting
as it falls for about six months and then goes away
completely. I shouldn't complain really — the
ground needs the moisture. We did a little digging
in the yard and it is hard as hard can be.0
See you at convention.
Jacquie